Night Walker
by Violet 1313
Summary: Valisa Phelen's dreams are a source of concern. Aside from the exhaustion, she's convinced she's developing powers and setting out as the Vigilante 'Night Walker' to help rid Star City of crime . . . all while she's asleep. Sessions with psychiatrist Dinah Lance, link her into a world of heroes. Main character O/C. Rated T for mild violence.
1. Entry 1

**Author's note: Hey all. Sorry I haven't been writing for a while, I've been tossing up several ideas for new stories and settled on two to work on for now. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. I **_**do**_** own my development of the Night Walker character, and the character of Valisa Phelen. **

**As far as I know, there is no DC Night Walker character, so I used the name. If there's already a Night Walker, now there's another. Sorry.**

**Entry 1: **

_DREAM 23_

It was almost midnight but the city was neither dark nor silent. Lights shone from windows of buildings, streetlamps highlighted the roads and the highway nearby was noisy and lit by the headlights of myriads of cars.

But the road in front of Star City Labs was mostly still and calm. A lone car was parked by the footpath across the road from the huge building. The driver's door opened and a black-clad figure wearing a ski mask slipped out of the vehicle and skulked across the road towards the building, a large black bag in hand.

He knelt in front of the door, pulled a small device from his pocket and begun his attempt at picking the locks.

"Well, this looks only a _little_ suspicious." a husky voice spoke from behind him.

He twisted around, pulling out a gun and pointing it at . . . no-one. He glanced around. There was nobody in sight.

"Y'know, black isn't actually the best idea. It's too dark, and you're _so_ obvious sitting there tensely in front of the _pale_ doors." the voice came again.

Once more the would-be thief spun around, but there was no-one there.

"Wow, is that look of a guilty man, or is that the look of a guilty man?" the voice mocked.

"Who are you? Where are you?" the criminal demanded. He could see no-one, couldn't pinpoint the voice. He couldn't even tell if the voice was male or female.

"I'm right here." he whirled to his left, but could see no-one. "Not _there_." he snapped back and looked right. No-one. No - wait, someone, some_thing_.

A figure stood there, almost invisible, almost transparent, their image shimmering and blurred, unable to discern. The criminal levelled his gun, "Who are you?"

"You should know that," they answered, "If you paid any attention to the newspapers during these last few weeks."

"You're the Night Walker." the thief's gun began to shake a little.

"That's right, and your camouflage skills suck."

"Oh Yeah?" the man used volume to hide the quaver in his voice, "Well I can see you now!" his finger tightened on the trigger.

"Now you see me…" the Night Walker said, and vanished, "Now you don't." the voice came from all directions. The thief started firing randomly.

He stopped. Nothing.

The thief quickly broke down the door and dashed into the building.

Something grabbed him around the torso, pinning his arms. It felt like a giant hand was holding him. He struggled but to no avail. He could just make out the shimmering form of the Night Walker, standing several yards away with an arm outstretched. Great, the Night Walker was telekinetic.

The figure moved his other arm and a length of rope sailed towards the thief and tied him up tightly, before hanging him from the closest street-lamp.

The thief swore and cursed and shouted and sirens began to wail in the distance. "Let me down!" he hollered.

"Nah." Night Walker said, and vanished.

_2011, FEBRUARY 25th, MORNING:_

The insistent beeping of the alarm signalled the arrival of the 6 o'clock hour and I moaned as I was whacked into waking reality. I forced a hand to work its way out from under the mass warm, rumpled blankets on my bed and I fumbled around on the dresser for a moment before finding the damned clock and slamming down the 'OFF' button.

"Ten more minutes…" I mumbled into my pillow.

"Val, get up!" mom called from the kitchen, as she did almost every morning. I growled. No matter how much I ask her, she still calls me 'Val'. I hate it, but I've given up on complaining. She won't listen. I let it go. No use getting angry over it.

"Five?" I called hopefully, without lifting my face out of the pillow.

"Valisa Ann Phelen, GET OUT OF BED!" mom hollered.

I groaned "Fine…" I shuffled under the blankets a little and then gave up, unable to summon enough will power to make myself move. My body felt like lead, I was so tired. "I can't!" I yelled half-heartedly. "My body won't work…"

The next thing I knew, mom had ripped off all the blankets and thrown them on the floor. "Up. Now. Or you'll end up being late."

I moaned and rolled over, toppling off the bed and crashing onto the floor. "You're a horrible person." I said half-heartedly into the carpet.

"And you're a drama queen." mom replied without missing a beat.

"Woe is meeeeee." I groaned into the floor.

"Get up. You'll be late." I could hear the smile in mom's voice.

"But it's so much more comfortable to sleep here than in class…" I complained.

I could hear her footsteps retreating out the door. "I made pancakes for breakfast…" she sing-songed.

I muttered a complaint but forced myself up off the floor. "I'm up!" I headed for the door. I stumbled downstairs and, still in zombie-mode, made myself a cup of coffee.

"Sweetie, what are you doing?" mom asked in exasperation as I absently dropped the eighth teaspoon of sugar into my coffee. "That's too much sugar!"

I shrugged absently.

"And you hate coffee!"

"Hence the sugar." I replied wearily as I poured another spoonful into the cup and began stirring it slowly.

Mom sighed and placed a plate of pancakes in front of me. "Still not sleeping well?"

I mumbled a yes into my coffee, before swallowing and pulling a face. I smothered my pancakes with maple syrup and took a bite, sighing. "I had another dream last night."

Mom sat down across from me at the kitchen bench. "What happened this time?" she pulled out a notebook and pen and flipped to the next blank page. She'd been keeping a log ever since my dreams had started.

I took another bite of my breakfast. "Some guy in a ski mask was trying to break into Star Labs. I tied him up and hung him on a lamp post."

"Is that it?" Mom asked, a little incredulously.

"Yeah, aside from some banter and him shooting at me."

"He shot at you?!" Mom exclaimed, instantly switching into full-on Protective Mother Mode.

"He missed." I said wearily. "And I doubt anything would have happened anyway. It was a _dream_." but I knew even I didn't sound convinced.

Mom looked at me worriedly but snapped the notebook shut. "Finish up and then head off to school. Grab a newspaper on your way."

I sighed and stared at my breakfast. I almost didn't want to check the newspaper. Just in case what I found was what I expected:

That my dream hadn't been a dream after all.

I bought a newspaper on the way to school. Right there, on the front page was a picture of the thief from my dream hanging from the lamp post in front of Star Labs. The caption read: _MYSTERIOUS NIGHT WALKER HERO STOPS STAR LABS BREAK-IN_. The story was on page 5. I flipped over to it and skimmed the article.

It described the event of my dream in surprising detail. Surprising not only because dreams aren't supposed to end up plastered on the front page of _The Star News_.

They were surprising because what was written matched up _exactly_ with what I wrote down just before in this journal, under the caption 'DREAM 23'. I've started keeping the journal as proof, I just wished I'd started as soon as the dreams did. I collected every single one of the newspaper articles, but I can't believe it took me 23 dreams with matching reports to start writing the dreams down as well.

I rolled up the newspaper and shoved it into my bag as I strode through the school doors. I had enough going on at school, I didn't need the added worry of what I might be doing in my sleep when I had exams and a school production around the corner.

I took a deep breath. I could do this. I was an actress, I'd just act like everything was perfect and like I wasn't as tired as an insomniac sloth.

I put on my best smile, hitched my bag higher on my shoulder, and strode down the halls of Star City High School.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't here. I wish I was a an actress doing something bigger than a high school production of _Romeo and Juliette_. I know I could be Hollywood material. But I'm stuck here. Mostly because mom doesn't want to risk my father finding us if we went to Hollywood. He used to say I'd be a star: I'd loved acting for longer than I can remember. I guess mom thinks that's where he'd look for us.

Right now, I don't care. I'm too tired. All these dreams have drained me of energy. It's like all the sleep I get goes nowhere.

Mom told me I'd be seeing a psychiatrist tomorrow afternoon. I didn't really want to, but she made it very obvious I didn't have a choice in the matter. I figured Dinah Lance, a lady who used to live in Gotham, would want to get to the bottom of the dream-thing. She wouldn't want my whole life story.

At least, not initially. But once she hears a little she'll figure out its all tied together. I pretend I don't notice it, but I seriously think my life-story will be a big key to figuring out these dreams.

And I figure if I'm going to tell her, I have to tell it right.

I've never opened up to anyone about my past. I never even talk to mom about it, I was so young, she believed me when I told her I hardly remembered a thing.

Problem is, I remember it all.

And I need to tell sometime about it sometime soon or, so help me, I swear I'll explode.

And if I'm going to tell someone, I want to know that I can at least get it straight in my own head first.

_RECOUNT:_

I was born on the 12th of May, 1995, almost sixteen years ago. But I was born under the name Val Jean Rickard. My mother's name was Lynette, and my father was Joseph. I don't know why or _how_ mom fell in love with that creep, but somehow she did and so I was born to a couple who'd been 'happily married' for almost twelve months. I really hope you're catching the sarcasm in my voice here.

Their 'happy marriage' lasted until just after my first birthday.

Either something snapped inside my dad, or he had just managed to hide his true nature from my mom for the 37-odd months that he'd known her. He started to become abusive.

And that's why it's a bad idea to rush into a relationship.

Mom was stuck with a baby and an abusive husband who she quickly discovered she hardly knew.

And that right there is where I can start writing from my own memories, with my mother's voice to back me up. My earliest memory was when I was three. My third birthday was celebrated with a few of my mother's friends who had kids around my age. It was a simple party with a bunch of young ladies having tea and a bunch of toddlers in pull-ups racing around screaming.

It was good fun.

And then it ended prematurely when my father came home drunk and furious, kicked everyone out and slapped my mom across the face.

Yay. Happy first memories.

When I was four, my father turned on me. And that's when my whole problem with the dreams started. I used to have very vivid dreams and horrible nightmares, and I started having trouble telling the difference between what was dream and what was reality

And in that time I accidentally taught myself to lucid dream. I started paying extra attention to the world around me in both reality and dreams, until almost every time I dreamed, I'd realise I was dreaming. And once I realised I was dreaming I started to take control, twist the reality of the dream to what I wanted.

Because the reality of the waking world was bad enough, there needed to be _some_ good part.

I don't think mom knew dad was beating me. Either somehow it had gone over her head, or it just took her a while to finally snap. But him beating me was the final straw.

The disadvantage was it took her a little over a year to throw that straw down.

When I was almost six, my mother finally snapped and decided to retaliate to my father's behaviour.

She told him she was leaving.

If it was me, I swear, if I couldn't beat _him_ up, I would've left as soon as he started, and gone to the police as well. But for some reason it took mom over four years to realise she shouldn't put up with him.

I know that I don't understand what she was thinking, why she didn't go. Maybe she thought that she loved him. I don't know. But when she finally snapped she was strong about it. She wasn't going to put up with him anymore.

And he tried to kill her for it.

I suppose I should be thankful that I don't remember much of that moment. I don't even know if I was _there_ when it happened. I do remember mother whisking me up and driving me to her friend's house where she told him Joseph had threatened to kill her and me, before coming at her with a knife.

Her friend convinced her to go to the police. I don't remember much about the court process, or even how long it took. But here's what I know. He was given a restraining order, and sentenced to prison. I don't know how long for. My parents were quickly divorced. Mom told me she got the house and the car and custody over me, while my father got to keep all the money in his bank account.

Then we left, mom sold the house, and our Convertible, deciding to drive an old Honda instead. Mom even changed our names. She changed back to her maiden name, Phelen, but also changed her first name to Linda.

My name was changed from Val Jean Rickard to Valisa Ann Phelen, because my mother wanted to keep the 'Val' as a nickname.

The problem is, I _hate _being called Val, and _everyone_ calls me Val. My friend's need a nickname for me, and it's better than 'Vallie' I suppose, but my mom introduces me as Val, and people call me that when they can't get 'Valisa' right. And, grr! It drives me nuts! It feels so wrong, it's _not_ my name!

I guess the main reason I hate it is probably because when I was little, most of the time when I heard it yelled it was a precursor to a beating. First chance I get I'm going to try change my name.

It's going to be hard, though.

Anyway, we moved from Metropolis to Gotham City. A great place to go to escape crime a chaos.

Not.

When I was ten mom moved us to Star City, where we've been ever since. Living quietly in our little flat. I still had dreams, but it wasn't until about three months ago that I actually started having dreams around town. They were different dreams. Instead of having an adventure in my sleep, I'd just find myself somewhere around town. And so I'd mess around. I'd figured out how to do all sorts of stuff in my dreams. I could pick things up from far away, and even fly. Sorta. But then about three weeks ago, there was a crime, and I stopped it. And the next morning it was in the paper.

And then the next few days the same sort of thing happened. I'd stop a crime and then it was in the paper. The fourth night I stopped a mugging, and the person I saved asked who I was.

And I just knew. You know how when you dream, you are a character and you just know who it is? Sometimes it's you, sometimes it's someone else, either made-up or from something in reality. Sometimes they change during the dream. Like, one moment you're Dr Who and the next you're a cat, or something like that.

Well, even since before I'd started stopping crimes I'd known who my identity was, I'd been the same character every time. And that character was me, was a part of me, even when I was awake. And so I told that person, and the newspapers snatched it up.

Mom won't accept it. She won't allow herself for a moment to believe that it could actually somehow be _me_ fighting crime in the night like some hero or vigilante. She thinks I'm somehow dreaming of what someone else is doing. Or that it's some kind of premonition.

I know it's not. I'm in control. It's me.

I am the Night Walker.


	2. Entry 2

**Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. I **_**do**_** own my development of the Night Walker character, and the character of Valisa Phelen. **

**As far as I know, there is no DC Night Walker character, so I used the name. If there's already a Night Walker, now there's another. Sorry.**

**Entry 2:**

_DREAM 24_

The sonic Canary Cry made the ground shake and several street-lights shatter, several gangsters were knocked out and thrown backwards, but the rest managed to evade the dangerous scream.

Black Canary stopped to catch her breath, but didn't stand still and let them target her. She leapt around and sent a devastating roundhouse kick into the head of one of the gangsters, knocking him into one of the others. The guns came to life and she dove around a corner into an alley, the bullets ricocheting off the wall where she'd been.

The gangsters rushed around after her, which was a big mistake. Before they could level their guns, Black Canary had used several well-placed kicks and punches to knock several of them unconscious.

The remaining four had retreated to a better firing distance and opened up. Black Canary began to dodge, but a human can only dodge so many bullets in a reasonably confined space. And she was most certainly _not_ wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Night Walker stepped forward, behind the gangsters and held up a hand. An invisible field appeared between the guns and the hero. The bullets already on Black Canary's side of the field kept flying, but the rest slowed dramatically as they entered into it, appearing in midair and flying forwards slowly, before losing all their kinetic energy and falling to the ground.

The field went down as the Night Walker turned on the shocked gangsters. They didn't see it coming. One second they were hunting a canary in a cage and the next they were being picked up together by a massive invisible force and then tied up and left sitting on the side of the road, cursing and struggling. Night Walker turned towards several unconscious villains and Black Canary followed suit. They hog-tied them and left them for the police.

"Good job." Black Canary said. "I'd like to see what you can do with proper training."

Night Walker nodded. "I'd like to see if I can do it when I'm not asleep."

Black Canary looked a little shocked. "Well, thanks for the help, anyway."

Night Walker beamed, "Thank you. It's not every night I get to help out a real hero."

Black Canary was about to say something, but Night Walker vanished.

_2011, FEBRUARY 26th, MORNING:_

I slammed down the button on the alarm before it even finished its second beep.

"Shut up…" I growled at it and rolled out of bed and onto my feet.

"Val, get up!" mom called from the kitchen.

"I am up!" I yelled back and headed down to the kitchen. As I did every morning, at least for the last twenty-four days, I told her about my dream and she wrote it down. Then I ate a quick breakfast and headed to the bathroom to get ready for school.

_AFTERNOON:_

Mom picked me up after school and took me to see my new psychiatrist, Dinah Lance. She greeted us at the door and led us into her office, offering mom the option of waiting in the waiting room or leaving and coming to pick me up in about an hour.

I hardly paid any attention, I couldn't stop myself from staring at her. Dinah Lance was a beautiful young woman with blonde hair pulled back into a professional-looking bun. She wore glasses but they didn't do much to hide that familiar face.

Sure, I'd only seen her up close once, but I pride myself in my excellent memory, and it's not every day you get to see a superhero face-to-face and talk with them one-on-one on equal terms. It would be crazy if I didn't remember her face.

She led me into her office and gestured for me to take a seat. When we were both comfortably seated facing each other, Dinah asked with a some concern. "Valisa? Are you all right?"

I blinked. "You're Black Canary." I whispered.

Blonde eyebrows went up. "I'm sorry?"

OK, all right, that wasn't my best idea, trying to start a conversation like that, or even trying to broach the subject of secret identities. It was too late now, might as well keep talking. Either I'd dig my way out, or make a hole so big we'd leave the subject behind.

"I saw you, last night." I said quietly, realising that I was still staring wide-eyed. "You were fighting a bunch of guys with guns. They were shooting at you."

"Valisa, I'm not Black Canary." Dinah said.

I caught a look in her eye. I suddenly understood. "No, you're not…" It was like when I'm on stage in a play. I'm not _actually_ Juliette from a Shakespearean production, but on stage, in that costume, I am. And when I am Juliette, Valisa Phelen doesn't exist.

It was the same with the heroes. When Dinah was in her costume and on her stage, she was Black Canary. But without the costume or the setting, Black Canary wasn't there.

"You're not Black Canary." I said, sounding like an idiot. "Not right now."

One corner of Dinah's mouth twisted upwards slightly. "Same as you're not Night Walker right now?"

Valisa shook her head. "I _can't _be Night Walker, I don't know how to do any of the things I do when I'm not asleep."

"Do you mean to tell me Black Canary was talking to someone who was asleep?"

"Yes. But when I wake up I'm so tired. Like instead of sleeping I actually _was_ running around town tying up thugs."

"Is your body tired? Your muscles sore?" Dinah asked

"Sorta, not really." I said, "But my brain's so tired I feel like it's going to shut down any day."

"When Night Walker spoke it didn't sound like you."

"I don't know how." I said, "But it's my voice. But my voice sounds different inside my head."

"You didn't look like a girl, either. In fact, I thought you were a boy."

I could only shrug. "I don't know how it works."

Dinah nodded. And the rest of the hour we discussed sleepwalking and the possibility that I might be physically doing what the Night Walker does.

The problem is, I know I'm not awake when I am the Night Walker. I know, not only because it feels so different when I'm awake, but also because I don't have the Night Walker's powers when I'm not asleep.

And believe me, I tested that. And Night Walker has more than a telekinetic ability. Night Walker can fly, and turn invisible, and I guess somehow change appearance, because I know for certain that the Night Walker isn't a fifteen-year-old girl wandering around in flannelette pyjamas.

The session was good though. Even if it was nice just to be able to talk to Dinah about my life, to finally get it off my chest. And she suggested that I try a treatment for sleepwalking.

She also mentioned testing to see if I was developing some kind of superpower. She said I should try contacting reality while I was the Night Walker. She said I should try bringing something back. She even spoke about in the of developing superpowers, she would like to contact the Justice League, to get someone to train me to control my powers.

And then when our session was over she spoke to my mom about it.

I could hardly believe it when mom didn't flip out. To my surprise, she actually listened to what Dinah had to say without interrupting or going nuts.

And then, to my utter shock, she said: "Well, my grandfather had the ability to turn invisible, but I thought they stopped there. Val may have somehow inherited them, but the rest and the dreaming, I don't know. Maybe from her father? I don't know. I agree that it's best for her health that she learn to control her abilities. And if that means bringing in someone from the Justice League, or taking her to them, then you have my permission."

And that made me see my mom from a whole different perspective.

I was just offered to possibly meet a superhero. And not only to meet them, but the be taught or trained by them.

And my mom had _agreed_.

Mind. Officially. Blown.

_DREAM 25_

Star City must really have a problem with gangs at the moment, because it seems that every time I fall asleep there's a bunch of gangsters causing trouble.

Green Arrow had most of them under control. I have no idea how shooting arrows is so effective, but it is. And then there was his sidekick, a girl about my age with a massive blonde ponytail who jumped in there and beat them all up like some kind of ninja on steroids.

I didn't know why Night Walker had came here. They seemed to have it under control.

And then a big guy with white hair, a bunch of bandages and a massive metal hook for a right hand jumped up behind Green Arrow and from several yards away swung his mighty metal arm.

I almost would have laughed at how stupid it seemed, but the hook flew off his arm, attached by a long chain.

Seriously, I don't know how Night Walker finds these situations. Night Walker threw up a hand and made a telekinetic field appear in the way. It caught the hook, and I felt it. Like I actually caught it with a hand I don't have. Like I had another arm that was massive and connected to me through my mind. Like an extra-dimensional limb.

And I think I also have mental extensions to my normal limbs. Which is why when I'm doing more than one thing telekinetically my arms start making the motions.

With that realisation, I swung my mental arm at the dude and backhanded him with an invisible fist that was as big as him.

He went flying, and my right arm shot out, it's mental extension catching him in a fist, while I released his hook and it retracted into his arm.

And then he shot it again.

I used my left hand to catch the end of it and wrap it around him until he was seriously stuck. Try retracting it now.

Then I dropped him in front of Green Arrow.

I did all that from about fifty yards away. I don't know if Green Arrow saw Night Walker or not. I turned away. There was an arrow embedded in the mortar of a building several yards away. Green Arrow hadn't been shooting in this direction so it must belong to that blonde girl who was with him.

I was suddenly there, in front of the arrow. That was weird. I grabbed it as close to the embedded end as possible and yanked it out.

And then I heard something. It was faint, and far away. It sounded like a voice.

And then I was gone.

_2011, FEBRUARY 26th, EVENING:_

OK, so I thought I'd have a nap before dinner and that's what happened.

That was the most lucid I had ever felt when I was dreaming, I even had extra thoughts aside from the dream, my own thoughts. But Night Walker was still in a dream-like state. Night Walker was still like another character, like a hidden part of me I've never properly met.

Gosh, that makes it sound like I'm schizophrenic.

Well, I'm not, but in this dream, Night Walker was more _me_ than ever before. I felt even more in control, it felt more natural. So natural that I'd actually written it in the first person, instead of addressing Night Walker as another character.

But the fact that I'd managed to be even more lucid than normal was a major shock.

And then I had another massive shock when I discovered I was still holding the arrow. I got up from the couch where I'd crashed and realised I could hear mom calling my name frantically.

"Mom?" I called back, dropping the arrow and following her voice to the bathroom.

"Valisa?" She sounded like she could hardly dare to believe it.

She rushed out of the bathroom, almost giving me a heart attack, and scooped me up into a massive hug. She put me down and shook my shoulders, "Where have you been?!" she shouted.

I frowned in confusion, "Uh, on the couch, taking a nap."

"No, honey, you lay down, but when I went to check on you, you were gone." She said sternly, "You've been gone for about ten minutes!"

"Mom, I don't know what you're talking about."

And that seemed to make her angry. "Look, if you went for a walk or to get some fresh air, you can just say so! But I don't want you feeding me some nonsense about being asleep on the couch when I _know_ you weren't!"

"Mom!" I took a deep breath to stop myself from shouting at her. "I went to sleep on the couch and I had another dream. Then I woke up on the couch. I don't know how I wasn't there, I was asleep all along."

Mom still looked upset, but she seemed to calm down a little. "OK, let me get my notepad and then tell me about the dream."

I related the dream to her and she wrote it all down. "Is that all?"

"No." I suddenly remembered and grabbed the arrow off the sofa. "When I woke up, I was holding this."

Mom nodded. "I think we definitely need to talk to Dinah again." she paused, "About contacting someone in the League."

I could only nod dumbly, before heading off to help make dinner.


	3. Entry 3

**Author's note: In case of confusion: in the dreams, the writing will be switching between first and 2nd/3rd person. To clear it up: when Night Walker is referred to as 'Night Walker' it is talking about the physical aspect, or what an onlooker would see/hear/smell/whatever. When Night Walker is referred to in the first person (I, me, etc) it is her emotions, thoughts and senses. Sorry for any confusion, I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. I **_**do**_** own my development of the Night Walker character, and the character of Valisa Phelen. J**

**As far as I know, there is no DC Night Walker character, so I used the name. If there's already a Night Walker, now there's another. Sorry.**

**Entry 3:**

_DREAM 26_

Night Walker could fly. It was a massive shock, Night Walker had never flown before. Probably because there had never been a need. But now Night Walker could fly.

Sort of.

OK, scratch that. It wasn't flying. Not really. More like some kind of gliding power mixed with gravity not working properly. It wasn't like the way Superman zipped through the sky, or even how Hawkman glided. It wasn't even as good as a grappling gun.

Actually it was downright annoying.

Sure, the realisation that there would be no plummeting to certain death was exciting, not to mention relieving, but Night Walker couldn't even glide straight horizontally, or hold position in the sky. It was just sort of like paragliding. A glorified slow descent.

Emphasis on the _slow_.

And in a chase sequence, that is not very good. Not very good at all.

The spider dude in purple spandex jumped off the building and landed on Night Walker's back, knocking the wind out of my chest and pushing me lower in the sky.

"Let go of me!" Night Walker shouted.

In reply, he grabbed Night Walker by the back of the neck and spoke into my ear. "No. I'll ask again:"

"Don't bother!" I snapped, "The answer is no!" Night Walker grabbed him telekinetically and threw him off.

Night Walker tried to fly upwards, using all of my willpower. It wasn't working. Night Walker was falling, although a little slower than normal, it was still falling. I reached out with a telekinetic arm and grabbed the top of a building, pulling Night Walker upwards.

Much better. Now _that_ was more like flying.

And then something wrapped around Night Walker's legs and pulled down hard. Night Walker grunted and was pulled down a little. Gosh, it felt like a whole person was hanging from my legs. I could feel bruises forming.

A quick look downwards proved that someone _was_ hanging from Night Walker's legs. The spider dude had shot a mass of red web around them and was swinging from it and climbing upwards like some demented, evil version of that comic-book character, Spiderman.

Night Walker couldn't shake him off. Instead, a wave of a hand telekinetically broke the web-rope.

Spidey didn't fall. At least, not very far. He shot another web at a building and swung up towards Night Walker. I quickly telekinetically pulled myself towards the building.

More web wrapped around Night Walker's torso, pinning my arms to my sides and pulling me down again. I pulled upwards, focusing hard at the point I was holding onto.

And then web wrapped around Night Walker's face.

And I had a massive shock when I realised I could still see. But not like I was looking out of Night Walker's eyes, I suddenly had a different view, like I was seeing from in front of Night Walker. I tried turning Night Walker's head to look around, I felt myself move, but my vision didn't change.

So I tried looking around with a different part of my brain (don't ask which, because I have no clue) and my vision shifted, while Night Walker didn't move.

My powers are seriously starting to freak me out.

But I could see. The spider dude shot another web at a building and pulled me towards it. I tried to fly in the other direction, but I might as well have tried to magically grow into a giant and squish him under my boot. Flying was really not going well.

I was about to try grabbing hold of something telekinetically, but then I suddenly realised the web over Night Walker's face was stopping me from breathing.

Yes, it took me a while. Don't judge, it's just that I can hold my breath for quite a long time. Several seconds is almost effortless, so I didn't really notice. Plus I'm asleep, so I'm allowed to be slow on the uptake.

But half a minute is definitely noticeable, and once my lungs start burning, it goes downhill from there.

And my lungs had started burning.

Night Walker started struggling hard and I lost concentration. I dropped out of the sky. The awful sensation of falling lasted for only a moment before Night Walker jerked to a stop on the end of the web, still struggling hard.

The spider dude didn't complain. He started pulling Night Walker upwards.

My head was starting to pound. I forced my brain to start working and managed to telekinetically grab the web and pull it off Night Walker's face, gasping in air and opening my eyes. Suddenly my view changed and I was looking through Night Walker's eyes again.

And then the spider dude pulled Night Walker onto the roof of a building, still struggling and fighting futilely. I telekinetically grabbed the webs around me, but before I could break them the spider guy leapt forward and socked Night Walker in the jaw.

"OW!" Night Walker yelled.

Night Walker was already on the ground, so I couldn't fall down, but would have had I been standing.

My jaw felt icy numb, yet burned with pain at the same time.

"That's for the trouble, boy." Spider growled.

Boy? How'd he think I was a guy?

"Now," he said, "You're coming with me, whether on your own will or bound and gagged and probably unconscious."

"Am not." Night Walker snapped and telekinetically broke the web.

Spidey jumped back and squirted more web over Night Walker, wrapping me up tighter and also tying me to the ground. Before I could try to break them again he kicked Night Walker in the side of the head.

Little bursts of light sprung into my vision and my head began to pound. I blinked several times to focus, feeling like I was about to pass out.

Wait, how can I pass out when I'm already asleep?

"I'll ask again." He said, "Join the Shadows."

"No!" Night Walker yelled, "I don't want anything to do with you or anyone like you!"

"Well, that's too bad." He said. "I guess I'll have to knock you out then." he sent another kick towards Night Walker's skull.

I tried to catch it telekinetically, but could only muster enough focus to shield myself a little and so when it connected it didn't feel much different than a tap.

Mr. Spider somehow managed to make his ugly mask frown at me. "Right, well, that doesn't seem to be working. So I'll try this." he pulled something out of a hidden pocket. "I don't usually use other weapons, but I was told to be prepared for unexpected twists." he leaned in closer to me, "I'll ask one more time kid. Will you-"

"NO!" Night Walker yelled.

Spidey didn't hesitate in shoving the weapon in his hand into Night Walker chest. Painful electricity lanced through my body and Night Walker yelled in pain.

_2011, FEBRUARY 26th, ALMOST MIDNIGHT:_

I snapped awake still yelling, with the terrible, painful electricity still coursing through my body. I was on the floor, spasming, but the spider guy was gone, and so were the webs.

"Val?" Mom called in alarm and the door burst open and the light flickered on. She stifled a scream. "Who are you? Where's Val?"

I forced my eyes open, "Mom?" I tried to get up, but she yelled:

"Stay back! Who are you!? Where's Val?!"

"Mom?" my voice was weird, huskier than normal as I wheezed in pain, slowly recovering. "Mom it's me…" I looked from her shocked and alarmed face to the full-length mirror on the wall. "Oh my gosh . . ." I whispered.

It wasn't me in the mirror. Well, it was, when I moved my arm, the reflection moved theirs. But my image wasn't what I saw. My familiar face and sparkling blue-hazel eyes were gone, my long mousey brown hair with the golden regrowth was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, I must have been wearing some kind of armour. It was black with a blue design. It looked kinda like a wetsuit, except it had built-in boots, gloves and a full-head mask, hiding my hair and face with no visible openings.

And it must have been padded, because my chest looked like it belonged on a guy who knew how to use a bench-press. I could see why the spider thought I was a dude.

I tore my eyes away and looked back at mom. She was glaring down at me with a mix of alarm and steely anger. "Who are you, how'd you get in here, and _where is my daughter_!?" she almost shouted. I was surprised she hadn't already woken up the neighbours.

"Mom, it's me! I don't know how I'm doing this!" I pleaded. I tried to stand up, but my head spun crazily and I fell back down. I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes and used all my willpower to wish I looked like myself again.

Mom gasped.

I looked up and caught a flash of myself in the mirror.

The suit was gone. It was me, in my flannelette pyjamas with rugged bed-hair and some severe new bruises.

"Val?" Mom gasped, "Val, are you OK? Oh my goodness, what happened to you?!"

She pulled me to my feet and I swayed as the world tipped and spun. "I was Night Walker . . ." I mumbled, and mom sat me on my bed.

"Honey, don't move. Wait just a second." She said and rushed off, coming back quickly with her first-aid kit. My muscles were stiff and sore, slightly cramped and tingling. My chest felt like it was burning. I undid the top button on my pyjama top and peeked at my chest where the spider dude had hit me. There was a red mark, like a bruise, but not like a burn or anything.

"I - I think he tazered me. . ." I said absently.

"What?" Mom exclaimed, "Who? Hon, what happened?!"

And so while she gave me a check-up and patched me up the best she could I related the whole dream.

The dream that I was most certain now was real.

I had quite a few bruises to prove it, too. The bruises around my legs and torso from the web were considerably faint, but the one on my jaw was downright spectacular and I'd developed quite a bump behind my ear from where he'd kicked me.

Mom wouldn't let me rest, thinking I might have a concussion. She made me sit on the bed quietly for what seemed like an eternity. I wasn't complaining about sitting still, because whenever I moved my body would hurt, and my head would start to pound and I'd get dizzy.

But I could hardly keep my eyes open, and Mom wouldn't let me rest in case I had a concussion.

She shone a flashlight in my eyes and told me to watch it as she moved it around. I guess it's a good thing to have a nurse for a mother when you have dangerous dreams.

Mom decided I'd be fine, announcing that she didn't think I was concussed and I should go back to bed. She tucked me in and turned off my morning alarm. "Sleep in tomorrow." she whispered, "And you can have at least the morning off school. I'll be gone by the time you wake up though."

She kissed me on the forehead and left, turning off the light on the way out. She paused at the door and added, "Don't get into any mischief tomorrow, OK?"

I mumbled agreement and she went to bed.

I refused to close my eyes, scared that I might somehow end up back on the streets as Night Walker. That the spider guy might come after me again, and that I may not escape another encounter.

Eventually I fell asleep.

And I slept soundly, without any of Night Walker's interruptions.


	4. Entry 4

**Entry 4:**

_2011, FEBRUARY 27th, NOON:_

It was nice to be able to sleep in without being rudely awakened by an alarm, or being stabbed with a tazer by a crazy spider-ninja in purple spandex.

I felt more awake than I had for ages, but I still felt very tired.

I headed to the kitchen to grab some food. Mom had already left for work, so I was alone for the day. Unless I chose to go to school, which was highly unlikely. I'd peeked in the mirror when I woke up. I looked terrible even without the bed-hair.

The bruise on the side of my face was colourful shades of red, blue and purple. The bruises on my legs and arms were faint though, and didn't hurt too much. But I had a headache that wouldn't go away, and the lump on the back of my head didn't feel any smaller.

Gosh, I hated that spider guy. Who was he, anyway? And what was the 'Shadows'? I guessed it would probably be on the internet, I'd never really paid too much attention to the heroes and villains, aside from the big members in the Justice League, or villains who were always on the news.

I don't think I'd ever heard of the Shadows, though.

I finished off the schoolwork I'd brought home with me, and even did a little extra, not sure how much work I'd miss today. And then, when I couldn't think of much else to do, I bummed out on the sofa in front of the TV.

I was on the news. Well, Night Walker was. I quickly started recording it.

Someone had caught on video a brief struggle between me and that spider-ninja, Black Spider, ending when I jumped/fell off the roof.

I wondered briefly _how_ someone had seen it when we were so high up, and then I mentally kicked myself when I realised those tall buildings weren't all offices. There were many apartment complexes and a few really tall hotels in the area.

I'd just figured that out (I'm slow in the mornings, ok!) when Cat Grant, the famous reporter announced that the video had been captured on the phone of a hotel-stayer when they looked out their window and saw the fight.

She didn't bother to explain why someone was up at almost midnight.

It took me a few seconds to realise it actually isn't abnormal for other people to go to bed really late. Big cities are never quiet, and just because I have a 'sleep problem', to put it mildly, doesn't mean everyone else does.

Cat Grant was signing off by asking rhetorically, "Who is this mysterious Night Walker?"

Gosh, it wasn't like I was going to call them and _tell_ them it was me. They weren't seriously expecting that, were they? There was no way I'd call them and go:

_"Oh hi! I'm a fifteen year old high-school student, my name's Valisa Ann Phelen. Yeah, I've got this sleep issue, which makes me turn into a spandex-clad superhero when I sleep. In other words, I'm the Night Walker. So now that you know, could you please stop asking those stupid questions in the newspapers and leave me to live my life in peace?"_

Right.

Superhero. What a joke.

I was glad that video on the news was too short for the viewers to see how badly I lost that fight.

I actually looked pretty cool, fighting like a superhero, even though the video was too grainy to see much.

I was doubly thankful that I'd been doing gymnastics since I was five. Sure I was nowhere near as good as Batman or Robin or even Green Arrow's girl sidekick. If I hadn't had those skills, that video would have shown me being beaten to a pulp.

I wished I hadn't dropped out of Judo classes. I'd started them when I was six, but stopped because the teacher was mean and the rest of the class was about half my age and so we did almost nothing. I couldn't help thinking that I might have actually gotten somewhere though.

I knew my main advantage in that fight had been my telekinesis, but when the threat was so up close and personal, I'd gotten so flustered at the beginning that I'd almost forgotten about my powers.

If I knew how to fight, I'd have much better chances of survival.

On a completely different note, there was nothing else on TV, so I went back to bed.

But despite being tired, I didn't want to sleep. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.

I could see a birds'-eye-view of the city. I could control where I looked, it was like my mind had an eye of its own and could wander off away from my body.

Come to think of it, I'd read about this somewhere. I think it was called astral projecting. OK, I'm going to start a list. That must be how Night Walker finds the situations I get into. I astral project while I'm sleeping and somehow appear in the midst of the problem.

Righteo. Power number 2 must be teleporting, or something like that. That explains how my _body_ gets there, and how I didn't get kidnapped by Mr. Spider.

#3 must be some kind of shape-changing or illusion power. Because Night Walker does not look a thing like me.

Number four may be part of the last one, or separate, but I can somehow turn invisible. If that's the case, I'm hating myself for not finding that power sooner. It would have saved me a whole lot of trouble as a kid… Either way, I think it might be different to Power #3, because its heaps harder, even when I'm asleep. I have to physically find a way to trigger it, and usually I just hold my breath.

Number 5 is a power I've had since I was a kid. Its why my voice sounds different as Night Walker and how I can 'talk' as Night Walker while holding my breath. I can project my voice through my thoughts. Not like telepathy, I just think the words, in whatever voice I make in my head and everyone within earshot hears it like I spoke with my mouth. I don't know how it works, but it's been getting me in trouble since I was 10. I'll put it this way: Have you ever had those moments when you want to say something rude or mean, or something smart that's still rude or mean, and you decide to do the smart thing and keep it to yourself so you just say it inside your head instead? Well, I did that a lot. And everyone heard me.

Power number six is telekinesis: my extra-dimensional limbs.

Number seven is 'flight'. Or 'floating' or 'not falling' or whatever I should call it. I just don't think it counts as my telekinesis, because pulling myself up with telekinesis was completely different.

And as far as my amazingly annoying abilities go, I think that's about it.

Aside from sleep-walking, or sleep-hero-ing, or whatever.

I spent about an hour trying to use my powers. It wasn't working very well though. I made the mistake of tiring myself out enough to fall asleep…

_DREAM 27:_

Black Spider was right there. Several yards in front of me - with his back to me, thank goodness.

I held up a hand in front of my face and it was black. I didn't know what the material was supposed to be, but a quick glance in a nearby window of a derelict building (I thought the windows should have been boarded up, but they weren't) showed me I was once again Night Walker - complete with the manly chest, which was seriously starting to annoy me. OK, I'll admit, having people thinking I'm a guy is probably the best way for them to _never_ guess my identity, but I'm not _that_ much of a tomboy. I'd understand if I made it look like I had a shapeless, flat chest, but the massive muscles had to go . . .

Anyway, I was Night Walker. But I was more lucid than ever. It didn't feel like Night Walker was a different person anymore, like a dream. It felt like I was actually there. It was me now. I didn't even feel like I was asleep.

And that scared me. I hoped that meant I'd still be able to use my powers, because if Spidey turned around . . .

I'd have to move first. I reached out with my telekinesis, relieved to find it was working, and I went to grab Black Spider, when he suddenly jumped forward, slipping around a corner and disappearing from sight.

It was unnerving. I felt paranoid, sure he'd somehow noticed I was there and had doubled back to ambush me. I held my breath, willing myself to turn invisible.

I looked over at the window and almost exhaled in annoyance. My reflection was still there. I looked down at myself: I was invisible. I looked up at the window. My reflection stared back at me, moving when I did.

Wow, that was freaky. Like the opposite to vampires not having reflections. I willed the reflection to vanish, and to my surprise, it complied.

I double-checked a couple of times to make sure myself and my reflection stayed invisible, and then I realised I'd been standing there for almost a whole minute and I was running out of breath.

I slowly exhaled. I remained invisible. Well, that was a good sign I suppose. I quickly snuck off to where I'd last seen Black Spider. I skulked around the corner and looked about. I couldn't see him anywhere.

I'm an idiot. I was so busy worrying about him seeing me, that he'd up and disappeared.

I caught a glimpse of my reflection in another window. Yes, it was back.

Great, first I'm talking about Night Walker like she/he/it/whatever was another person, and now my reflection is a crazy, unco-operative stalker who keeps on following me.

Gee, I hope I'm not schizophrenic or something.

I was just thinking that I should Google that when I get home, when I remembered I was supposed to be doing something. I took another deep breath and my reflection, and myself, vanished.

I floated upwards for a birds-eye-view. It was slow, infuriatingly so. I was about to pull myself along with my telekinesis when I heard the shouting.

Naturally, I dropped to the ground and ran in that direction.

Lucky me, I found exactly what I was looking for.

Sort of.

Actually, it was better than I could have hoped for, I found Black Spider, yes, but better than that, someone was beating the webs out of him.

Literally.

I couldn't help smiling.

It was a red-haired guy who looked to be about in his late teens or early twenties. He was dressed in red and black, wearing a domino mask and he had a large quiver of arrows strapped to his back. He and Black Spider were fighting, and Mr. Spider was losing, being beaten back and forth with a red compound bow, squirting web in random directions.

I recognised the ginger. He was on TV, December last year, on the 30th I think it was, the induction of new heroes into the Justice League. He was one of them. Red Arrow, that was his name.

I admired the way he effortlessly swatted Black Spider around with his bow. It must have been a pretty good bow.

Red Arrow caught Spidey by the throat and shoved him up against a wall. "I'll ask again," he growled.

I couldn't help but smile when I heard those words Black Spider had growled at me, being growled at him.

"Tell me where he is!" Red Arrow growled.

Black Spider snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Red Arrow pulled him off the wall and then slammed him against it again, hard. "Tell me!" he growled, "Where is Speedy?!"

That confused me. Here I was thinking Red Arrow _was_ Speedy. Or he had been, then he became Red Arrow.

"How would I know?" Black Spider said in an annoying way that made it seem that he most certainly did know, and was possibly one of the only people who did. "He's probably dead." Red slammed him against the wall again, and then Black Spider looked directly at me. "Hey, I thought you only came out at night?"

I looked down at myself. Sure enough, I was visible again. Unfortunately, Red Arrow looked over at me too, and Black Spider took advantage of the distraction and broke free.

Seriously? Red Arrow fell for that? Even if I was actually there, he _fell_ for it?

He recovered quickly though, but Black Spider now had the upper hand. He whacked Red on the head, and then leapt away.

Straight at me.

I dove away and rolled to my feet, just in time for his foot to slam into my head. I fell to the ground, but swung my arm at him.

He looked like he was about to laugh about me being too far away, but them my telekinetic fist socked him in the jaw.

"That was for last night!" I snapped angrily. My bruised throbbed as though I'd just reminded them they were supposed to hurt.

My face was sore again. Man, my face was going to be black and blue, and mom would chuck a fit.

Red Arrow leapt at Black Spider, but unfortunately, Spidey's webs were still working. He dodged and squirted Red until the archer was thoroughly tangled, and then he leapt at me again.

I held my breath and dove away.

"Oh no you don't!" Black Spider called and web wrapped around my knees. "No vanishing act this time!" More web wrapped around my shoulders and I was lifted and then slammed into a wall. My breath gushed out of my chest and I immediately knew he could see me.

He was about to say something but I telekinetically punched him again and ripped the webs off me. Red Arrow was struggling to free himself and I tore off his bindings too.

And then suddenly Black Spider shot webs onto my chest and I was flung off my feet.

I was suddenly weightless and I lost all sense of direction. The world blurred and I couldn't see. I didn't even know whether I was flying up, falling down, being thrown sideways or lying on the ground just dizzy.

The last option was proved wrong as I slammed into something hard. Again, I was winded and pain shot through my body, especially a sharp pain at the back of my head.

Lights danced before my eyes, but then my vision went black, and there was nothing.


	5. Entry 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

**Entry 5:**

_2011, FEBRUARY 28th, LATE:_

I slowly woke up, and the first thing I registered was the pain. My head throbbed and stung, especially right at the base of my skull.

I felt like I'd been hit by a bus. My whole body hurt.

But I hadn't been hit by a bus . . . I suddenly remembered and panic coursed through me. Black Spider. I started hoping against all hopes that by some divine power he _hadn't _captured me. I knew that wishing wouldn't get me anywhere, and I forced down the terror.

I forced my eyes open, and sharp pain seared through my brain. I winced, which hurt too.

My vision cleared and the pain subsided a little. I was staring at a rock ceiling, but it looked far away. I turned my head to the left and suddenly felt very dizzy. But I was no-longer directionless. I could tell I was lying on my back, on a hard bed or a fold-up stretcher or something. There wasn't much else to see, just a curtain and a hand basin at the wall near my head.

I turned my head to the right. There was someone sitting on a chair beside the bed, and the shock nearly gave me a heart attack.

But I almost melted in relief when I recognised him. He was a tall, strong young man with dark skin and pale buzz-cut hair. He was wearing a red singlet and a thick black stripe wound around each muscled arm.

Aqualad.

_The _Aqualad. And he was sitting calmly beside the bed, reading a book. I stared at the cover for a few seconds, trying to make out the title, but it was blurry and sideways. After a moment, I realised the title wasn't in English. It looked Greek, or something like that.

"Good book?" I asked.

Without looking up, he said something I didn't understand. About two seconds later he suddenly seemed to realise he'd done so and he put down the book. "Sorry." he said, looking over, "Yes, it's a good book."

"Can you read Greek?" I asked.

He looked a little confused, "No," he saw me looking at the cover and realisation dawned on his face. "Oh. No, it is Atlantean."

"Oh." I said. "What happened to Black Spider?"

"Red Arrow dealt with him and left him for the police." Aqualad said. "Then he called Black Canary about you. She said to bring you here."

At the mention of Black Canary's name I relaxed a little, "Where exactly is _here_?" I asked.

"The Cave." he said, as though that explained everything. "This is part of the infirmary."

"What cave?" I asked. "Does my mom know I'm here?" a sudden thought hit me, "What time is it? Why did D- Black Canary tell Arrow to bring me here? Why aren't I at home?" I tried to sit up but a wave of pain and vertigo washed over me and I gave up, "Why aren't I at a hospital?" I groaned.

Aqualad gave me an assuring smile. "It's OK." he said. A great thing to start with, I suppose. "Dinah spoke to your mother, who agreed that to let the League care for you. There would be less questions if you were brought here to be cared for, instead of a public hospital." he said quietly. "It's almost seven-thirty." he added. "You were unconscious for almost four hours."

"And you've been sitting here the whole time?" I asked in astonishment, "Why?"

"I haven't," he said. "Only about an hour. Black Canary said it would be best if someone you'd recognise as a 'good guy' was there to greet you when you woke up."

Thank goodness for Black Canary. If she hadn't decided that, I probably would have flipped out. I do not like that Spider guy, or his promises about 'The Shadows'.

"What cave is this?" I asked. "Is this the Batcave?"

Aqualad smiled in mild amusement. "No. This is the Team's base of operations."

"The 'Team'?" I asked.

"If you are feeling up to it, I can introduce you." he offered.

My head spun, and it wasn't from the knock on my noggin. _Aqualad_ had offered to introduce me to a _Team_ of _Superheroes_.

I'm not a crazy fangirl or anything, I hardly even know about half the heroes, but they're _heroes_. My first thought was: _Whoa, why would any heroes care about me?_ My second thought countered that: _Well, they have kind have dedicated themselves to helping people_. My third thought was: _Maybe someone could help me figure out my powers_. . .

I rolled onto my side and sat up. Vertigo made my head spin and my whole body pained in protest. I groaned and brought a hand up to my head, which felt like it had angry bulls charging around inside it, beating mercilessly against the back of my skull.

The dizziness slowly went away, and I opened my eyes and started. My hand was still black. Aqualad had been acting so _normal_ that I'd forgotten I'd been Night Walker when I was knocked out.

How that had managed to evade me, I'll never understand. I'll blame it on possible concussion.

Someone appeared in the doorway, a red-headed, freckled guy about my age, wearing a button up shirt over a white skivvy. He looked so normal, so casual it was almost out of place.

He grinned. "Hey, you're awake!"

Even to me, that seemed too obvious.

He looked at Aqualad, "Dinner's ready, Kaldur. Everyone's already at the kitchen, M'gann's cooked Mexican food!" he looked extremely excited about that. He looked at me, "You feeling OK?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Great! You can come too." He vanished.

I blinked, "Where'd he go?"

"To the kitchen." Aqualad said.

"He was right there." I said dumbly.

"Oh, right." Aqualad amended, "That was Kid Flash."

"Oh." my head started to hurt again.

I slid off the bed onto my feet, and the world tipped crazily as my vision darkened. My head pounded and my body ached in protest and I stumbled dizzily, grabbing the bed in a white-knuckled grip to steady myself.

I blinked a couple of times and the vertigo passed. I straightened.

"Are you all right?" Aqualad asked,

"Yeah." I said.

He smiled and offered his arm for support, and then led me out of the infirmary and through the cave.

We emerged out of a hallway into a kitchen/living room area. It was pretty neat, and pretty crowded. There were eight other teens in the room, as well as what appeared to be a massive white wolf.

"Is that a wolf?" I couldn't help exclaiming.

Everyone's attention snapped to me, including the wolf's.

"Yeah." said a guy I knew to be Superboy. "His name's Wolf."

"Right," I said, "Naturally.

Aside from Superboy, whose casual clothes looked to be the same ones he wore when he was a superhero on TV, everyone else was wearing civvies. I'd already seen Kid Flash, and Aqualad introduced him as Wally. Superboy said to call him Connor and a cute girl with red hair and green skin floated over and introduced herself as M'gann, or Megen.

It didn't take too much deductive reasoning on my part to figure out she was Miss Martian.

There was a girl with a hugely long blonde ponytail, who I knew instantly was the girl I'd seen with Green Arrow. She introduced herself as Artemis.

And a short guy with black hair who for some reason was wearing his sunglasses indoors introduced himself as Robin. My head resumed its pounding as I numbly shook hands with the Boy Wonder.

The other two were girls about my age. One was Caucasian with black hair, cheerfully introduced herself as Zatanna, while the other girl, and African American, introduced herself as Rocket, and then said to call her Raquel.

I told them dumbly that I was Night Walker.

Wally quickly cut in "Cool. Well, I hope you like Mexican food, 'cause I'm starving!" he paused for about half a second, just long enough for M'gann to open her mouth to say something, before he cut her off, adding "But if you don't, that's fine! More for me!"

Artemis elbowed him sharply.

"Ow!" he complained, "I was only joking…"

Robin smirked and turned to me, "Don't mind him. He eats like a garbage disposal unit."

The girls laughed and Wally looked hurt. Or maybe it was just from the whack Artemis had given him.

M'gann smiled. "Hint taken anyway." A stack of plates floated out of a cupboard and landed gently on the counter. "Help yourselves."

Wally was upon the food like a plague of locusts, with Artemis berating him harshly and shoving him aside. The others quickly crowded round and started loading up plates of food.

Robin looked over at me, "C'mon dude, grab some dinner."

_Dude? _I frowned in confusion and looked down at myself. That's right, I was still Night Walker, with the guy chest. I kept forgetting that detail.

"I'm - I'm not a guy." I mumbled. "It's this . . . _suit_. . ."

The whole group looked at me. I could feel my face heating up. "I-" I mumbled and started again, "I, um, I think I've got some kind of shape-shifting power, but I'm not sure how to use it exactly…"

They seemed to find that satisfying and most of them went and sat down in the lounge.

"Sweeeeet!" Wally cheered, "Another lady!"

Artemis elbowed him sharply again and glared at him.

He yelped in pain but rubbed his neck in an attempt at nonchalance, "I mean, yeah, um, that's cool."

She continued to glare at him and he mumbled a weak "Sorry."

Robin, Aqualad and M'gann were still standing around the counter. M'gann floated over and grabbed my arm. "It doesn't matter." She said, smiling. She must have felt my awkwardness and need for reassurance. "Come get some food, I might be able to help you later." She led me over to the counter and handed me a plate.

There was a massive selection of Mexican food. Enchiladas, burritos, build-your-own tacos, and heaps of other stuff. I had no idea what Wally was talking about. There was heaps of food.

He appeared beside me and refilled his plate, piling it high before zipping back over to the lounge.

I grabbed and enchilada and joined the team.

They seemed to have accepted me as one of them without much questioning. Of course, they wanted to know my story. They asked plenty of questions, what had happened, who I was, how long I'd been fighting crime, why I looked like a guy, that kind of thing.

I answered them the best I could, still feeling dizzy and having trouble thinking. I was relieved that they didn't only focus on me. They all shared bits and pieces of their own stories, frequently getting sidetracked by a funny story and as a result the conversation travelled all over the place. In the end, we all finished eating and we sat around, laughing and chatting merrily.

I'd started to relax and enjoy myself, and had mostly forgotten about the events of several hours ago, when Wally suddenly looked at me and said, "Hey, look, you are a girl! How'd you get that black eye?"

Artemis elbowed Wally again. I was starting to pity that guy's ribs.

But all the attention was on me again and I looked down at myself. I was suddenly relieved that I'd fallen asleep in my clothes, because my Night Walker outfit was gone, and I would have died of embarrassment if I'd been sitting there in my pyjamas. As for my eye, "I had a fight with Black Spider." I said. "He doesn't play fair."

Raquel glared at Wally. Then grinned at me, "Hey, d'you know what this means then?" she glanced around the group, and then cheered "We girls now outnumber you guys! Yeya!"

Zatanna laughed and Artemis smirked at Wally.

M'gann smiled, but looked slightly confused. "I didn't know it was a competition…"

"It's not." Zatanna said, "But now when we do things girls versus guys we have the advantage."

"Greater numbers doesn't exactly mean you've got an advantage." Robin pointed out, "We've got more experience."

"Well, we've got cooler powers!" Rocket teased.

"Oh yeah?" Wally challenged, "Well we've got _me_."

Artemis snorted, "Which isn't exactly an advantage to your team."

Wally jabbed her in the side, "I'll have you know-"

"She may be right…" Robin said with joking thoughtfulness. "Maybe if we sideline you in the next paintball challenge we might stand a better chance…"

"Dude!" Wally exclaimed. "That was _so_ not my fault!"

Everyone laughed. I was about to ask what had happened when a voice spoke from behind me.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." I whirled around. Black Canary stood in the doorway casually. "Valisa, I need to talk with you."

"Uh, OK." I got up, farewelled the team and followed Canary down the hallway and through the Cave to a room with a few lounge chairs facing each other and a waterfall décor on the wall.

Canary gestured to one of the chairs. "Take a seat." I plopped onto the chair and she sat across from me. "You're not in any trouble." she assured me, "But, I need you to tell me what happened with Black Spider." She said. "Why was he after you, and what were you doing as Night Walker in town during the day?"

I told her the whole story. When I mentioned the Shadows, Black Canary frowned, but signalled for me to continue. I did, watching her face as I spoke, wondering what this was all about. When I was finished, she sat silently for a few minutes, thinking.

I couldn't stand it. Her silence, as well as not knowing what was going on. But there was one question I couldn't hold onto any longer.

"Canary?" I asked, "What are the Shadows? And what would they want with me?"

She frowned. "The Shadows is a criminal and terrorist organisation." She said, "They focus on extortion, manipulation and power-broking."

I frowned back, "And what would they want with me? Spider said he wanted me to join the Shadows."

Canary shook her head. "I don't understand." She admitted, "They don't recruit people like that. I think they have another agenda."

"Like what." I asked.

"I'm not sure." Canary said. "I'll need to speak with the League. But, on another note, if you'd like, we'll train you. Help you figure out your powers, and teach you to defend yourself until you do."

I blinked. My headache returned. "I, um, thanks. Thanks, I'd like that."

Canary smiled. "Tomorrow afternoon the team has a training session." She said, "Four o'clock."

"OK." I said, feeling unsure.

Canary stood up. "Well, I'll show you to the Zeta beams. And don't worry." She assured me, "The whole team has different levels of combat training. You'll do fine. Now, we need get you home."

Zeta teleporting was amazing. I got zapped with yellow light and found myself in a 'Out of Order' phone booth near central Star City. My head didn't like it so much, the bullfight inside my skull had turned into a stampede of wild, imaginary cattle trampling my grey matter and trying to break out of my cranium.

Just to put it into context.

Canary walked me home, sticking to the alleyways and managing to get me there without being seen by a single soul.

Mom didn't seem as upset as I'd expected. In fact, she didn't seem upset at all. Just worried and lovey-dovey as she mother-henned me and sent me to bed.

Sinking into my mattress and hiding under the covers had never felt so good in my life.

And then I found myself back on the streets of Star City.

**Author's note: Sorry if it was a little anticlimatic. I'll try and keep it exciting. **


End file.
